Ten times cheaper: India unveils high-quality prosthetics for low income group amputees

India builds hope, unveils first Make-in-India carbon fibre foot prosthesis. The indigenously designed product is not only advanced but also cost-effective. It is developed by DRDO’s Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL) and AIIMS Bibinagar was unveiled at AIIMS Bibinagar in Telangana on Monday (July 14). The foot prosthetic could be priced as low as Rs 20,000 ($233) in contrast to the highly priced imported variants.

In a statement, the Ministry of Defence said, “It is expected to reduce the cost significantly to as low as less than Rs 20,000 in production in comparison to the current imported similar products that cost around Rs two lakh ($2,330).”

"Hence, this innovation is expected to significantly improve accessibility to high-quality prosthetics for low-income group amputees in India, reduce dependency on imported technologies, and support broader social & economic inclusion for people with disabilities."

Also read: India provides prosthetic limbs to Afghans

The prosthetic is biomechanically tested to loads up to 125 kgs with sufficient factor of safety. It has been designed to cater to patients of different weights. There are three variants and the foot is designed to offer a high-quality and affordable solution accessible to a larger population in need, while delivering performance at par with available international models.

Earlier in June, India in a humanitarian programme, had facilitated Afghan nationals with prosthetics. MEA in a statement on June 29, said, “As part of India’s ongoing humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan, a five-day Jaipur Foot camp was organised in Kabul by BMVSS, Jaipur. The camp saw an enthusiastic response, with around 75 prosthetic limbs successfully fitted.”

This is viewed as a huge breakthrough under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, India's Make-In-India goal